THE Chamber of Customs Brokers, Inc. (CCBI) is open to corporations lodging, filing and processing export entries at the Bureau of Customs (BOC). This, the chamber said, is a concession that could help settle a long-standing dispute on whether or not corporate practice is allowed in the customs broker profession.
“This is a win-win solution for both brokers and corporations,” explained CCBI president Rolando Quiambao. “However, the lodging, filing and processing of import entries should still be limited to licensed and accredited customs brokers and no corporations should be allowed to file such entries at the BOC,” said Quiambao, who is also president of Nonpareil Int’l Freight and Cargo, Inc.
If corporations insist on processing import entries themselves, they can expect strong opposition from CCBI, the only accredited professional organization (APO) under Republic Act 9280.
CCBI’s APO accreditation has lapsed recently, however. The chamber is now awaiting accreditation renewal from the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC).
Proposed congressional amendments to Section 29 of RA 9280 state that “The practice of the customs broker is a professional service… As such, no firm, company or association shall be registered or licensed with the PRC for the practice of the customs broker profession. Nothing in this act shall prevent corporations from being registered to engage in the business of customs brokerage provided they hire the services of at least one customs broker.”
